U.S. organic fresh apple exports up 33%

The U.S. organic products trade deficit for the first nine months of 2017 was over $1.1 billion, with organic imports reaching $1.6 billion, while exports came in at $433 million, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) trade statistics released Friday.

The value of organic imports during Jan.-Sept. was up 21 percent compared to the same period in 2016, the trade data showed, while the value of organic exports during the first nine months was up 11 percent.

Last year, the U.S. organic products trade deficit hit nearly $1.2 billion, its highest level ever, with U.S. organic imports reaching $1.7 billion, while U.S. organic exports came in at $547.6 million. Check out the Top 10 U.S. organic imported and exported commodities for 2016.

U.S. organic imports from Mexico up 66%

Mexico was the leading exporter of organic commodities to the U.S. market in the first nine months of 2017, shipping in $207 million worth of product, a 66 percent increase over the same period last year.

Mexico's main organic export in 2017 is organic avocados, valued at $93.2 million, up 130 percent over the first nine months of 2016. Organic bananas worth $31.9 million, a 123 percent increase over last year, was Mexico's second largest commodity, closely followed by organic Arabica coffee, which was worth $28.9 million, down 1 percent.

Turkey was the second largest exporter of organic commodities to the United States, shipping over $158.2 million worth of product, down 14 percent.

Turkey's two largest organic commodities shipped to the U.S. market were animal feed products: organic corn, valued at $78.3 million, down 20 percent, and organic soybeans, which were valued at $72.4 million, a 14 percent decrease over the first nine months of 2016.

Brazil was the third largest exporter of organic commodities, shipping over $129.5 million worth of product, a 105 percent increase. Nearly two thirds of Brazil's exports were organic honey, valued at $83.8 million, an 83 percent increase. Brazil's organic sugar imports to the U.S. market were valued at $31 million, an increase of 255 percent.

Organic honey imports up 100%

The top 10 U.S. organic commodity imports (by value) for Jan.-Sept. 2017 include:

The largest U.S. organic export markets for the Jan.-Sept. 2017 period were Canada, valued at $202.8 million, up 5 percent, and Mexico, valued at $106.9 million, up 9 percent.

The top 10 U.S. organic commodity exports (by value) for Jan.-Sept. 2017 include:

Organic fresh apples: $76.7 million, up 33 percent

Organic lettuce: $43.4 million, up 8 percent

Organic fresh strawberries: $36.2 million, down 2 percent

Organic spinach: $28.9 million, no change

Organic carrots: $27.2 million, up 18 percent

Organic fresh grapes: $22.8 million, down 20 percent

Organic tomato sauce (excl. ketchup): $21.1 million, up 27 percent

Organic fresh berries: $17.5 million, up 30 percent

Organic cauliflower: $13.9, down 11 percent

Organic fresh cultured blueberries: $13.5 million, down 2 percent

Notably, the value of U.S. organic milk exports in the first nine months of 2017 reached $5.2 million, up 417 percent compared to the same period in 2016. Total U.S. organic milk exports in 2016 were valued at $3 million.

General attendee registration is now open for the inaugural Organic Grower Summit (OGS), slated for December 13-14 in Monterey, CA. A joint production between California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and Organic Produce Network (OPN), OGS will bring together organic growers, producers and processors for two days of education, information and networking opportunities with organic production supply chain and service providers.